The death of an indigenous leader in Nicaragua after three years of detention has drawn sharp condemnation from the British government, which accused the Ortega regime of systematic human rights abuses.
Brooks LaRoche, 47, a prominent Miskito activist and former commander of the indigenous autonomy movement, died in a Managua prison on Tuesday. His family cited complications from diabetes and a lack of medical care. LaRoche had been held without trial since his arrest in 2021 on charges of terrorism and conspiracy, widely seen as politically motivated.
In a statement released late Wednesday, the Foreign Office said it was "deeply concerned" by the death, which it described as the latest in a pattern of repression against indigenous communities and political opponents. The UK called for an independent investigation and the immediate release of all political prisoners in Nicaragua.
Ortega’s government, which has been in power since 2007, has faced growing international isolation. The European Union, the United States, and the Organisation of American States have all imposed sanctions in response to rights abuses. The death of Mr LaRoche is likely to intensify diplomatic pressure.
The Miskito people, who inhabit Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, have long demanded greater autonomy and recognition of their ancestral lands. Mr LaRoche was a leader in that struggle. His detention was part of a wider crackdown that has seen hundreds of activists, journalists, and opposition figures jailed since 2018.
The British government’s response reflects a broader strategy to defend democratic norms and human rights in Central America, though it has limited leverage. Nicaragua’s most recent elections, in 2021, were widely condemned as a sham. Mr Ortega, a former leftist revolutionary, has consolidated power through a combination of patronage, security force control, and judicial manipulation.
Mr LaRoche’s funeral is expected to take place in his home village of Bilwi. The UK has offered consular assistance to his family, but they are unlikely to accept, given the tense diplomatic climate.
This development underscores the fragility of indigenous rights in Nicaragua and the impunity with which the Ortega government operates. International condemnation, while useful, has so far failed to produce substantive change. The UK’s call for a full investigation is a familiar refrain in cases like this, but Mr LaRoche’s death may serve as a catalyst for new sanctions or a tougher stance within the multilateral system.
